Boris Johnson’s Memoir ‘Unleashed’ Sees Disappointing Sales Despite £2m Advance
Sales of Boris Johnson’s highly anticipated political memoir, “Unleashed,” have fallen below expectations, with only 42,528 copies sold in its opening week. Despite a reported £2 million advance for the 772-page book chronicling his time in Downing Street, the numbers have fallen significantly short of what his publishers at HarperCollins had projected.
This marks a 62% decrease in sales compared to the previous week, barely maintaining its position as the number one bestseller. In comparison, Johnson’s sales figures are considerably lower than those of former prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, who saw much higher sales numbers for their respective memoirs.
Critics have highlighted the lacklustre reception of the book, with reports of bookstores being left with excess stock of “piles and piles” of copies. Despite the book’s extensive media coverage, it appears that the public interest in Johnson’s memoir has not translated into substantial sales.
On the podcast “The Rest Is Entertainment,” it was noted that Johnson’s sales figures were far below the expectations set by his hefty advance. Industry insiders have expressed surprise at the underwhelming performance of the book, considering Johnson’s high profile and the extensive publicity surrounding its release.
While Johnson’s publishers have put a positive spin on the sales numbers, describing “Unleashed” as the bestselling book in the UK for the week, the overall reception of the memoir has been mixed. Critics have described the content as “shameless and predictable,” and photos have circulated on social media showing the book placed alongside works of fiction in stores.
In addition to the lukewarm reception from critics, recent YouGov polling has cast doubt on the public’s perception of the claims made in the book. Despite these challenges, Johnson’s memoir still managed to outsell the debut book by his successor, Liz Truss, indicating a silver lining amidst the disappointing sales figures.
In conclusion, Boris Johnson’s memoir “Unleashed” has failed to meet sales expectations despite significant pre-release hype and promotional efforts. The underwhelming performance of the book points to a gap between public interest and actual consumer engagement with the content. As the publishing industry continues to evolve, the fate of political memoirs like Johnson’s serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of literary success.